


Bitter

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Series: ScienceBrosWeek2019 [3]
Category: Carrie - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Angst, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bullying, Fix-It, High School, High School Theater, M/M, Musicals, Relationship Problems, Science Bros Week, Science Bros Week 2019, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Technobabble, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Has Issues, carrie the musical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-30 11:38:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19852405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: In the lead up to their high school's production of Carrie the Musical, Tony's treatment of transfer Steve Rogers puts a strain on his relationship with Bruce.***SBW 2019 Prompt 3: Bitter





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> To my theatre friend reading this: I'm sorry. 
> 
> To every one else: I'm sure how I got here, but I'm sorry.

When Tony flopped down on the ratty couch in the booth, Bruce simply lifted his legal pad and set it on his boyfriend’s forehead. He continued to sketch an outline of Clint’s proposed set, unperturbed by Tony’s dramatics. Finally, the shorter teen groaned for a long enough time undisturbed that Bruce raised the design. 

“Yes?” he asked sarcastically. 

“Cast list is out.”

“And?” It was obvious that Tony was cast as Tommy, since he was the only male in their department who could sing and talk to girls. “Is Laura not Carrie?” The main contention for roles was between the girls. Sue, Carrie, and Chris all required skilled, confident singers and the girls fought tooth and nail in call backs. Laura, Natasha, Maria, Wanda and Hope were by far the most likely to get these parts, but there was no guarantee. 

“No, she got it.”

Bruce sighed. “Alright, then what’s wrong?”

“I’m Billy.”

Bruce fumbled his pencil. “What?” Tony was literally always the leading man, after Bucky graduated their freshman year. He was Seymour in  _ Little Shop,  _ Danny in  _ Grease,  _ and now he was supposed to be Tommy in  _ Carrie.  _ Their director, Coulson,  _ loved _ Tony. Or, he put up with Tony and his antics, he loved Tony’s voice and acting. The harrassing inside jokes and constant off-taskness, Coulson would probably prefer to go without. But to put Tony in a number two role his senior year? Uncalled for. 

“Who’s Tommy then?”

“Remember new boy from tech theatre?”

Bruce nodded. The blonde was scrawny and looked like he’d never seen a hammer before, let alone table saw. He’d dropped in the first week and Bruce had never caught his name of course, he had spent the first week doing a lights inventory to start off the year. Tony had been forced to go through the safety training. He was only taking the class to be with Bruce, who was taking the class for the sixth time. 

“Well he’s Tommy.”

Bruce blanched. “Isn’t he a sophomore?” 

“Yes!” Tony exclaimed. “He has so much time to be a lead, this is my last year!” Bruce understood Tony’s frustration. Although Howard allowed Tony to act in high school, he was required to take up engineering in college. It made Bruce upset, and it was especially triggering considering his experience with his own monster of a father. But he also knew that Tony loved math and science just as much as theatre, if his puns in multivariable were anything to go by. 

“Wait, then who is Obidiah playing?” Obi was the Mushnik to Tony’s Seymour. Everyone knew he was going to be Billy. “He’s the gay guy, which, honestly, ironic.” Bruce snorted. Obi was also hugely homophobic, so if Tony and Bruce performed more PDA than necessary in their rehearsals, who can blame them?

“I’m just… disappointed, I guess. It’s not that I thought I deserved the roles or that it was going to be handed to me. It’s just… I thought I had worked hard enough the past four years to have earned it. To leave my legacy on this school, or whatever, and to not be uprooted by some four foot tenor.” 

Bruce nodded, setting aside his notes. Preparing for scholarships could wait. “Well, this isn’t completely it. You still have  _ John and Jen _ in March and there’s still the May talent show.”

“But those aren’t the same.”

“I know.”

“I just don’t get how he got it over me.”

Bruce shrugged, “I guess we’ll find out at the read through.”

***

Tony was the first to sign in on their stage manager Pepper’s attendance sheet. She rolled her eyes at him, but handed his script over. Tony joined Bruce at the circle of chairs they had set up seventh hour on stage. Underclassmen chorus members began filling in, keeping their distance from the senior couple. Bruce had his legal pad out and was sketching a light plot thoughtlessly. He didn’t need to be at the rehearsal, but was more there as an intimidating presence to keep the cast on task. Besides, it was easier to work on theater tasks in an actual theater. And Bruce needed these designs to be perfect. They would be submitted for a scholarship at Culver, a prominent technical theatre school, which Bruce wouldn’t be able to afford unless he won that money. 

Laura sat beside Tony and they picked up their conversation from lunch about how quickly musicals became overrated by thespians. 

Bruce continued to work, oblivious to his chaotic surroundings. 

“Bruce!” Coulson called from the edge of the stage. The teen looked over. His teacher waved at his to come and join him and another boy who Bruce didn’t know. Probably a freshman. He shrugged and jogged to them. 

“What’s up?” he asked, turning to a new page of legal pad. He had taken to recording to their conversations in case Coulson forgot what he had said and Bruce could refer back to it. He felt a little like an FBI agent, but it had come in handy more than once. 

Coulson motioned to the kid. “This is Peter Parker. He’s in my first hour tech theatre. He wanted to see if he could help on crew.”

“Oh, I can introduce him to Pepper.” Bruce craned his neck for their stage manager. 

The director shook his head. “He actually was hoping to work on lights.”

Bruce lit up. “Of course! Do you have any experience? Work on any shows in middle school?”

The boy blinked. “I- no. I just thought it’d be cool.” 

Bruce considered. “It is cool. It’s a lot of head work. Takes a lot of creativity and problem solving. You up for that?”

Peter nodded. “Yes! I did a lot of painting in middle school and I have all this free time now since I can take the class during the day so my aunt told me that I should try theatre because…” Peter prattled on as Bruce led him to the booth at the back of the theater. Upon entering, the boy silenced. 

“Welcome to my home,” Bruce joked. 

“It’s- wow.”

Peter would make a great fit for lights. 

After a quick tour and an exchange of phone numbers, Bruce promised to contact Peter for his first hanging session and sent the freshman to the pick up lane. Back down at the read through, which still hadn’t started, because it was majority actor, Bruce sat back next to Tony. 

Coulson finally stopped talking to Wanda about her weekend long enough to take account of the group. Pepper finished setting up the speakers so they could sing along to the songs when they got there. 

“Laura, come sit with Steve. And Natasha, take Laura’s spot.”

Tony fumed. First his role was taken, then his read through neighbor. He sent Steve a nasty look, which Steve weakly smiled back at. 

“Alright. Let’s go around the circle and everyone say name, grade and roles,” Coulson began, sitting in between Bruce and Pepper with his laptop. 

Pepper began, leaving Bruce for last. 

At Steve’s turn, Tony continuously glared, and nudged Bruce, who rolled his eyes and introduced himself a few minutes later, with the disclaimer that the cast probably wouldn’t be seeing much of him. The older actors laughed. 

“Great. Let’s get started. Pepper, you have the stage directions and the female interrogator?” 

She nodded in response. 

“And, Bruce, can you do the male?”

Bruce began to shake his head, but Tony shouted, “Yes, he will definitely do it!”

“I hate you.” Bruce wished that he had weed. 

_ “We see what appear to be the burnt-out remains…”  _ Pepper began monotonously. 

Bruce pulled Tony’s script into his lap, too lazy to get his own from his backpack.

“Name, please. State your full now,” Bruce recited, writing in his legal pad to find cast members to do the voice overs. They continued through the show, and things didn’t get rough until the scene after “Carrie”. 

“Leave her alone Billy,” Steve recited, not looking up from his script. “You’re such an asshole.”

“Hey, hold up, you skipped my line,” Tony interrupted. 

Steve’s face turned red. “Oh, sorry,” he squeaked. 

Coulson frowned. “Go back to ‘Leave her alone’,” he requested. 

Bruce shot Tony a look. There was no need for Tony to embarrass Steve like that. He didn't like how his boyfriend was acting. But he wanted to be supportive.

***

Pepper handed Tony the tape measure. 

"Oh, have I graduated to doing my own costume fittings now? In that case, I am six foot two." He attempted to wrestle the clipboard from her. The stage manager rolled her eyes. 

"He's five five," Bruce called over, leaning against the stage as he unscrewed the casing of a three pin connector. 

Pepper laughed and motioned to the actors crotch. "Inseam," she requested. "I don't have all day." 

"I thought I was providing my own jeans anyway." 

Pepper shrugged, recording the number. "I like to make you suffer." 

"Bruce," Tony whined, handing the rolled up measuring tape back. Bruce just laughed, mocking his boyfriend's name back as he soldered the three pin to an Edison plug for the lamps in the TK scenes. "Can we go home now," Tony asked. "I'm four chapters behind in  _ Cuckoo's Nest." _

"I think that's your fault." Tony flopped on the ground and groaned. "But once I finish these two cords, we can go." Satisfied, Tony watched the rest of the cast file through as Bruce wrapped electrical tape tightly around the wires of the first cable, before going through the whole process again with the second. He finished, coiling the cables for storage, and turned to Tony only to find his boyfriend's eyes fixed on another man. 

Steve laughed as Pepper measured his hat size for the prom king crown. Before Bruce could stop him, Tony marched over to the pair. 

"Hey, Steve-O," Tony greeted. 

The sophomore blushed. "Uh, hi, Tony." 

"Just wanted to congratulate you on your role. Even if I've only heard you in the read through, I can tell you're good." 

"Oh, thanks." He rubbed his arm awkwardly. Pepper waved him off and began measuring Scott. 

Tony beckoned for Steve to follow him. "So where did you go before here? Somewhere else in the district?" 

Steve shook his head. "No. I went- I lived in New Jersey. Me and my mom moved to New York for her job." 

Bruce didn't like Tony's condescending nod. This was going to be a long rehearsal process, Bruce could tell. 

***

Coulson always blocked the hardest numbers first. Bruce knew this, but watching the chorus trip through "In" for the first time was no less painful for a first rehearsal. 

The entrance was hard enough to configure, especially because the ASM Kate was still taping down numbers along the front of the stage. Bruce watched Pepper rewrite the blocking four times before they moved onto the second measure. 

Tony was fairly professional, which was a relief as Bruce marked down ideas for light cues in his script. The process was a little smoother once Kate was able to take over running the rehearsal tracks for Pepper, but the next big hiccup happened when all the girls cleared the stage where they would be changing into gym clothes during the male section. 

"Alright, raise your hand if think you can do a solid pushup," Coulson directed. Rhodey, Tony and Steve all raised their hands. Tony looked dubiously at Steve, and made a face at Bruce. "Alright, you three are going to push down on 'God it's rough' and come up on 'Staying tough'." He configued them in an order he liked, with Steve in the middle. Then he rallied the other boys into a different set of movements. 

In that same stanza, he had all the boys lifting a chair up and then slamming it down on the word 'bullshit'. The freshman playing Stakes, Sam, screamed the cue word, as if it were the first time he'd ever said it. Given the rest of his demeanor, it wasn't far fetched. 

The cast faltered, then burst out laughing. 

The freshman's face heated, but Steve nudged him smiling. "At least you can say it, I've just been mouthing it." More laughter. Tony fumed. Steve was far more charming than he expected. 

After blocking the girls' reentrance, Coulson called it a day at five thirty, promising a review and to finish the rest tomorrow. Bruce knew that it was mostly due to the fact that Coulson hadn't pre-blocked the second half. 

***

"Bruce," Tony whined, "Your gaffer is being insubordinate." 

"That’s why he’s the best one. He doesn't take any of your bullshit,” Bruce called back from the catwalk. His gaffer, Peter, and Tony were currently running lines on stage while Bruce figured out how to power the flame effect lights. He almost considered filming his problem solving for Culver, but he figured it would be a little overkill. And he was also concerned there would be more problem than solving. 

“Why is your best gaffer a freshman? What happened to Miles?”

“Miles has track. He'll be here for the shows,” Bruce explained as he climbed down from the cats and met them by the fly system. “And because Peter’s a successor. Every three years, a tech freshman will be adopted by a senior to take their place after they graduate. Peter’s mine, I was Betty’s.” Bruce grabbed the wrench Peter handed him and led the trio to the shop to clean up. “You wouldn’t understand that because actors are replaced bi-yearly. Steve’s just ahead of schedule.”

Tony shoved Bruce playfully. “That was uncalled for.”

“Just like when you cat called Steve while they blocked the kiss?” Peter asked innocently. 

Tony fumed all the ride home. Bruce was glad he wasn't the only one seeing this. 

***

As usual, they were behind in blocking so Coulson had called Tony, Steve, Nat, and Maria in to block “Do Me a Favor” during lunch. Bruce was already in there with Peter, sketching out a  _ John and Jen _ light plot. It was a senior project, but Bruce wanted to prepare Peter for whatever was thrown at him next year when Bruce went to college. 

“Steve and Maria enter stage left and go to the down stage platform,” Coulson directed, motioning to the unpainted platform. The set was ‘U’ shaped to suggest the structure of a gym. The masonite floor would be painted like a burnt basketball court at their next work day. “Tony and Nat, I want you two up stage right, enter sometime after they start the song.”

“Got it,” Natasha called cheerfully, marking it down in her script. Pepper did the same, leaving plenty of room for an arrow to write the actual cue. Coulson continued to work through the scene, Steve and Maria playing truthfully off each other. Bruce caught Tony speaking angrily to Natasha as he and Peter went to the booth to look through gobos. 

After Maria’s first solo as Sue, Tony and Natasha moved on top of their nearest platform, and began their brief scene. Tony’s previous anger was infused in the scene as he questioned Natasha. Nothing really boiled over until Tony started laughing at Steve’s voice crack on the “Do what?” after “Hah nah’s”. 

“Stark, that’s enough,” Coulson snapped. 

Tony sobered up quickly. “Sorry.”

“Tell Steve that. We’ll finish this tomorrow. Get to your fifth hours,” the director grumbled, leaving the theater. 

Steve looked at Tony curiously, but the senior stormed away. Bruce stared down from the booth, unsure of what to do. 

***

Tony draped himself over Bruce’s bed, unstyled hair brushing the outdated shag carpet. He scrolled through his phone upside down, arms aching. 

“Like my message,” he demanded suddenly. 

Bruce looked up from his AP Biology notes. “What?”

“Like my message. I suggested Steve’s award.” Tony attempted to smoothly flip over on the bed, but he was too far off and ended up catching himself and shamefully crawling onto the floor to keep from completely falling. He righted himself and watched Bruce expectantly. Bruce pulled out his phone skeptically and scrolled through his notifications before he found one in Group Me from Tony in their Senior Awards group. It simply read,  _ “Steve: ‘Dumb Bitch Juice’ Award”.  _

Bruce rubbed his forehead before typing out a reply.  _ “Tony: ‘Worst Co-Star’ Award”.  _

“Hey!” Tony hollered, jolting up from the floor to swipe his boyfriend’s phone, only to find a response from Maria. 

_ “I’m sending that to Pepper-- the juniors need inspiration”.  _

Tony liked his original message on Bruce’s phone before firing back,  _ “Only I am allowed to attack my bf”.  _

Bruce wrestled the phone back to respond:

_ “-Tony”. _

Then,  _ “As Tony’s actual bf,  _ **_@Maria_ ** _ has express permission to insult Tony however she pleases” _

_ “bruce take that back” _

_ “Tony get your own phone” _

Clint replied to their pair,  _ “Please stop flirting, it’s giving me a headache” _ . Obi, Maria, and Bruce all like his text. Tony threw a pillow at Bruce from the bed, which he had reoccupied to claim his own phone. 

***

"This show sucks. Everything sucks." He sat up. "Is it too late to join crew? Can I be on spot?" 

Bruce continued to type, matching numbers with those on his spreadsheet. It had been easier when Peter was here, but his aunt had picked him up eleven. The lights crew had begun their hang after rehearsal ended. Miles and Ned vacated around nine. Tony only stayed because Bruce and him had carpooled to school and it was Bruce's turn to drive. "You can be on spot for dance show," he answered absently, crossing off the last of his third electric. 

"I'm in the dance show. I can't be spot for the dance show! I'm the one being  _ spotted  _ in the dance show." 

Bruce shrugged, no looking away from his patching screen. Only the cyc and side lights left. "It was worth a shot." He glanced at his notes. And the lamps. 

"Bruce, seriously. This is my final musical and I'm having no fun. Everyone loves Steve and I don't have a single freshman girl swooning over me!" 

Bruce ticked off the cyc, his speed increasing with the end in sight. "Why would you want a freshman girl swooning over you? You're gay, last I checked at least."

Tony groaned, shoving a pillow over his eyes. "It's the thought. I should be the unreachable show stopper, not some sophomore nobody." 

Bruce saved his screen and turned. Patching was done, like it should have been three hours ago. The catwalks had not been on his side for this show. "Maybe the reason nobody seems to like you is because you're not acting incredibly likeable. You're being a dick about the whole thing. You only talk to Rhodey or Laura at rehearsals. Even Pepper says you've been snippy to her." 

Tony sat up and scoffed. "Oh, so you and Pepper talk now?" 

"Yeah. It's called being friends. Maybe you should try it." He turned away and opened his script to the first page. He scribbled down 'LQ1- Preshow' above the stage directions and highlighted it in green. Everything had to be organized for the School of Theatre and Design. 

Tony faltered. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

Bruce shook his head. "Why are you even here Tony?" He looked back. "All you do is complain about Steve. I just want to talk to my  _ boyfriend, _ not a monologuing supervillain." 

"Bruce-" 

The LD sighed, clicking onto the cue screen. "You should see if Rhodey will pick you up. I still have to set act one and will probably be here until three."

"Okay."

"I'll text you later."

"Yeah. Okay." 

***

The run was supposed to start in ten minutes. Everyone was in costume, every prop preset, every light channel checked. They were waiting on their base player to arrive so that the band could tune, then it was go time. No more calling line, no more holding for a costume change, no more falsetto, except for Laura, who was on vocal rest. Just the show. With only one more rehearsal after this one, Bruce was a little nervous that they hadn’t had a run through without stopping yet. Headset strapped to his skull, he chatted with Peter about previous shows the school had done, particularly the distaster that was  _ Grease,  _ while the pair sat beside the highlighted script and the light board respectively.

At the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, Bruce turned, expecting to see and anxious Coulson, or at least a theater ghost. Instead, Tony stood at the landing, looking like a kicked puppy despite his expertly applied make up. Jemma and Leo exchanged a look and then beckoned Peter into the house left spot bay. 

Bruce and Tony were alone for the first time since lighting act one. 

“Hey,” Tony mumbled. 

Bruce watched him expectantly. If Tony thought he could saunter into the booth, then he better have something to show for it. 

“I know I fucked up. With you and with Steve. And I know right now is a shitty time because the bass player just got here, but I’m not going to have the balls to say it any other time.” Tony stepped towards the light board, his hands resting on the back of Jemma’s swivel chair. “You didn’t text me. I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t want to text me either. I’ve been making this entire process about myself. I wasn’t paying attention to how much you have riding on this show. I’ve been distracting, I’ve been a complete jerk. I get it. But I don’t want this to be the end for us.”

“I don’t either,” Bruce began. “But Tony, I can’t watch you bully Steve, or anyone else on this cast, anymore. You were a really nice guy last year. What happened?”

Tony sighed as the pit began tuning. “I guess I got focused on what was going wrong. I lost sight about what makes theatre good. “

“Which is?”

“You.”

Bruce laughed. “That’s cliche.”

“It’s true,” Tony argued. 

On headset, Bruce heard Pepper ask,  _ “Has anyone seen Tony? He’s not in place any more. We’re about to start.” _

Bruce pressed down the talk button. “I found him,” he replied, removing his finger. “I missed you.”

_ “Send him back down please.”  _

“You too.”

“Let’s talk after rehearsal. Barring me changing fifty light cues.”

Tony laughed, and for the first time in a while, it was genuine, not grating. “It’s a date.”

***

Tony was always a wreck pre-show, mumbling lines and doing vocal warm ups. Bruce did his best to console his boyfriend, but he had a feeling that the anxiety stemmed more from his guilt toward his castmates and especially Steve. He was hiding up in the booth when said actor entered to receive his mic. 

Tony looked ready to bolt for a spot bay as Jemma strung the element through Steve’s act one costume, so Bruce nudged his chair forward the sound board with his foot. 

"Hey, Steve," Bruce intoned, "Tony wants to say 'break a leg.'" 

The lead whipped around, causing Jemma to have a near miss with mic tape and his nose. Tony shot Bruce a betrayed look. 

"Um, thanks…" Steve side eyed Bruce. "Tony." 

The LD elbowed his boyfriend. 

"I just-" Tony closed his eyes. "I want to apologize for being a complete dick to you this whole process. You're a really good performer and you deserved the role you got. I should have realized it sooner. So I'm sorry." Tony swallowed. Asking forgiveness was easier said than done. Ge searched Steve's face for any sign of relenting by the headstrong teen. 

Finally, Steve's shoulders dropped, along with his defenses. "Alright."

"Really?" 

"Yeah. Just don't do it again." He hesitated a moment. "I'm kind of glad it was me over anyone else." 

Bruce shook his head. Steve's heroism was exhausting. 

"This is nice and all," Pepper called from the stairs, legal pad clutched close to her chest. "But we need to do warm ups. Get on stage." 

"Later?" Tony offered, following Pepper down the stairs. 

"Later," Steve agreed, smiling softly. 

The show went on just as rehearsed with an electrifying energy, one of the best opening nights in Bruce's memory. What does it cost to be kind indeed, he mused. 

***

Thirty minutes after they closed their final performance, and the entire cast and crew was piled into Tony’s massive basement, passing around pizza and slices of cake. Coulson had yet to stop by for awards, but Tony was already a little buzzed, along with Clint and Darcy. Bruce himself had already taken a hit and was mildly high in order to survive both Tony’s drunkenness and the party. He loved his boyfriend, without a doubt, and, to a lesser extent, the department, but weed was the only way he could handle either of thom on nights like these. 

Despite that, Bruce was genuinely happy to be there. Cast parties were a celebration of the production finally being  _ over.  _ No more costumes breaking on stage, actors losing props, or LEDs losing their addresses in the middle of “Prom Climax”. Nothing. For three or hour hours, it was drug infused bliss. The next show could wait until morning. Delete the spreadsheets, throw out the legal pad, eject Q-Lab from the laptop.  _ Carrie  _ was finished. 

Bruce wandered around the basement, cheering on Peter in his ping pong tournament and helping Miles cheat at Skittles poker. All the drama from the rehearsals and sniping attitudes from the performances were forgotten. Except…

“I still think Steve’s award is too nice. These are supposed to be funny!” Tony hissed at their last minute award distribution meeting. Coulson had arrived five minutes earlier and most of the underclassmen were gathered around the TV area, squeezing onto the ’L’ shaped couch while the juniors and seniors decided who would present which awards. Finally, they had all the PowerPoint printouts distributed and the seniors stoof in front of the other members of the department, including Coulson, who had a handful of popcorn. 

“Alright, I’ll go first,” Clint announced, standing at the end of the line. “I have my best friend, Nat, who gets the ‘Asexy’ Award.” Everyone laughed, remembering Natasha’s frustrated shout of “I’m asexual, how am I supposed to know how to fake have sex!” during the blocking of “A Night We’ll Never Forget”. Down the line they went. A few seniors offered context for their awards, such as Fitz and Jemma’s joint ‘Separated at Birth’ Award. The cast wouldn’t understand, but the crew knew that the pair were near psychic in knowing the others thoughts. Some of the more memorable awards were Rhodeys’ ‘AES Wrangler’ Award-in reference to both his dream car and innate ability to get Tony to knock it off-Kate’s ‘Best Countdown’ Award-as ASM, she was in charge of constantly reminding the actors of when places was-Ned’s ‘Pun Intended’ Award-for his ability to make a reference out of every line-and Peter’s ‘I’m Sorry/Acrophobia’ Award-the first because Bruce was leaving him a mess of a department and the second for his ironic fear of heights. 

Finally, they were on the final award. Tony stepped forward. “Despite my campaign against this, Steve Rogers gets the ‘Voice of an Angel, Heart to Match’ Award. Congrats, Steve-O.” Tony drawled, handing over the certificate. Steve beamed and the department cheered. Bruce sarcastically commended Tony for his bravery in presenting his nemesis’ award. Tony rolled his eyes and pushed Bruce away as the seniors and juniors switched places. 

“Alright, we have the senior awards,” Pepper, ever the leader, began. 

“I have Stephen,” Thor took over. “Who got the ‘Sorcerer Supreme' Award for making all the TK effects actually work.” They continued down the line with cheers and explanations, the best award being Clint’s ‘Arsonist’ Award based on his set design, until just Pepper and Rhodey hadn’t gone. 

“I have Bruce,” Pepper announced. “And he gets the ‘Lights God is Abandoning This Timeline’ Award!” 

Bruce hung his head and laughed as the cast, led by Tony, heckled him. He deserved that. Shouting that he was never coming back after graduation from the booth after the strobe effect wasn’t what he wanted for the fifth time would do it. 

He grabbed his paper and anticipated Tony’s reception of his own. Pepper had texted Bruce the night before to confirm that it wasn’t too harsh. The sarcasm was clear and Tony was drunk enough to celebrate in the allegations. Bruce wasn’t too concerned. 

“I have our dear friend Tony Stark,” Rhodey informed. “We all know and love Tony, despite his quirks. So from the bottom of my heart, Tony, you get the ‘Method Acting/My Cast Mate from Hell/Bitter’ Awards. Love you, Tones.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went a bit overboard and cast the show and gave a good chunk of the characters awards, for anyone who's curious.

Name (GRADE- Role) ‘Award’

  * Bruce (SR- Lighting Designer/Co-Technical Director) ‘Lights God is Abandoning This Timeline’ Award!’ 
    * Peter (FR- Gaffer/Light Board Op) ‘I’m Sorry/Acrophobia’
    * Ned (FR- Spot) ‘Pun Intended’
    * Miles (SPM- Gaffer/Spot) ‘No Meme is Too Dead’
  * Tony (SR- “Billy Nolan”) ‘Method Acting/My Cast Mate from Hell/Bitter’
    * Steve (SPM- “Tommy Ross”) ‘Voice of an Angel, Heart to Match’
    * Pepper (JR- Stage Manager) ‘Learn Your Own Damn Lines’
      * Bruce
    * Rhodey (JR- “Kenny”/Ensemble) ‘AES Wrangler’
      * Tony
  * Clint (SR- Set Designer/Props Crew) ‘Arsonist’
    * Natasha (JR- “Chris Hargensen”) ‘Asexy’
      * Laura
    * Jemma Simmons (JR- Sound Designer) Joint “Separated at Birth” 
      * Clint
    * Leo Fitz (Sound Board Op) Joint “Separated at Birth”
  * Laura (SR- “Carrie White”) ‘Heavy Lies the Head/Long Time No Sing’ 
    * Sam (FR- “Stakes”/Ensemble) ‘BULLSHIT!’
    * Wanda (SPM- “Norma”/Ensemble) ‘MVP’ 
  * Obi (SR- “George”/Ensemble) ‘Rain on Your Wedding Day’ 
    * Peggy (JR- “Mrs. Gardener”) ‘__’
      * Obi
    * Thor (JR- “Freddy”/Ensemble) Joint ‘Get A Dressing Room’
      * Stephen
    * Jane (SPM- “Tina”/Ensemble) Joint ‘Get A Dressing Room’
  * Maria (SR- “Sue Snell”) ‘Stage Mom’
    * MJ (FR- “Frieda”/Ensemble) ‘RBFF’
    * Scott (SPM- “Mr. Stephens”) ‘Chair Molester’ 
    * Darcy (SPM- “Helen”/Ensemble) ‘Snitches Get Stitches’
  * Stephen (SR- Telekinesis Designer/Props Crew) ‘Sorcerer Supreme’
    * Hope (JR- “Margaret White”) ‘__’
      * Maria
    * Kate (SPM- Assistant Stage Manager/Costume Head) ‘Best Countdown’
  * Ward (SR- Run Crew Head) ‘__’
    * Ian (Run Crew) ‘__’
    * Melinda (JR- Costume Crew) ‘__’
      * Ward



**Author's Note:**

> For anyone looking for an actually good high school theatre AU: https://archiveofourown.org/series/21707


End file.
